Army Group Vistula

Army Group Vistula was an army group of the German Wehrmacht that existed from 24 January to 8 May 1945, combining elements of Army Group A and Army Group Center after they suffered heavy losses in the Vistula-Oder Offensive and the East Prussian Offensive, respectively. From 28 January to 20 March 1945, the army group was led by Heinrich Himmler, but the inexperienced Himmler was later replaced by Gotthard Heinrici as commander of the army group. The army group was involved in the defense of Nazi Germany during the Battle of Berlin and in the other final battles of World War II, and its 500,000 troops were battered as they fought against the advancing Soviet Red Army as it advanced into the heart of the Reich. On 8 May 1945, the remnants of the army group capitulated to the Allied Powers or Soviets.